摘要 |
A method of treating raw materials containing components of metals of the group IVb of the Periodic Table, which comprises heat-treating a raw material of a component of a metal of the group IVb of the Periodic Table containing coloring poisonous metal components such as Mn, V and Cr components in the presence of a flux composed mainly of an alkali metal nitrate or an alkali metal peroxide which is a thermal decomposition product of the alkali metal nitrate in an amount 2 to 5 times the amount of the raw material on the weight basis in a non-reducing atmosphere to thereby effect fluxing reaction, and subjecting the resulting fluxing reaction product to a leaching treatment of at least one stage in an aqueous medium to separate the fluxing reaction product into said coloring metal components and a concentrate of the component of the group IVb of the Periodic Table which is acid-soluble and substantially free of said coloring poisonous metal components. In practising this treating method, if a residue left after the above leaching step is incorporated into a mixture of the raw material and the flux, the composition is granulated and the granulated composition is heat-treated, the fluxing reaction of the raw material can be accomplished while keeping the granulated composition in the substantially non-sticky granular state throughout the fluxing heat treatment. |